Rustin - 1 nomination

 

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

• Colman Domingo

Rustin is the autobiographical adaptation of the life of Bayard Rustin. A powerful activist in the fight for civil rights, Rustin's background is not much known, and it is likely that is because he was not only at the center of the movement, but he was an openly gay man. Rustin rallied the many parties prominent in the 1960's and managed to lead the efforts to produce the March on Washington, where the famous "I Have a Dream" speech was so powerfully delivered by Martin Luther King.  Here is a man who never waivered, never took his eyes off the ball.  He believed that the march could happen, and even without the support of many in the community fighting for civil rights for people of color, he pushed on.

This film gathers a cast of such powerhouses each in their own right, and I can't quite figure out why it has not gotten much more attention this Oscars season. But Colman Domingo, who has given every last drop of himself to this role, Domingo is truly the standout. This is the performance of his career, and I'd be shocked if his upward trajectory only gets him more and more attention and more powerful roles. He broke me. It's absolutely worth the watch, and it has what I call the "Apollo 13" factor - you already know what the outcome of the film is going to be, and yet you are on the edge of your seat throughout.  That's a real achievement.